wach bik وش بيك
Algerian Darja · expression
“wach bik” (وش بيك) is an expression in Algerian Darja meaning what's wrong with you?.
Meanings
- what's wrong with you?
- what's gotten into you?
Usage
Wach bik is a very common question throughout Algeria. It is made of wach, "what", and bik, "in you". It asks what is the matter: concern for someone who is sad or ill, or reproach at odd behaviour, in the sense of "what's gotten into you?". It is conjugated by changing the pronoun: wach bih (what's wrong with him), wach biha (what's wrong with her), wach bikoum (what's wrong with you all). The register is informal but not at all vulgar. Intonation separates concern from irritation.
Example
واش بيك؟ راك ساكت اليوم
wach bik? rak saket lyoum
“What's wrong with you? You're quiet today.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wach bik” but also “wech bik”, “wesh bik”, “wach bek” and “wache bik”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.